One week of training, and the coach is convinced
Seven days. That was all it took.
Mika Godts could make his Paris Saint-Germain debut on Sunday night against Rennes (8:45pm), in the opening round of Ligue 1. The 21-year-old Belgian arrived from Ajax this summer in a deal worth €55m with add-ons. A week later, Luis Enrique is already talking about him like someone who is ready to go.
What struck the Asturian was not only the left foot. It was the way the kid carries himself.
Try it for $0.99.
The line that tells you where Godts stands
“It is always complicated when you think about signing players who can help the team,” the coach said in his press conference. “A lot of players want to join us, but it is hard to find the one you think can improve the squad. A player’s level is always a bit of a surprise. You have to know how long it will take them to adapt.”
Then, on the Belgian: “Mika Godts is a top-level attacker, he has individual quality. He can play anywhere, he has the right mentality, you can tell the first time you speak to him. It is very important for us to know a player has the ambition to play and improve a team that has won the Champions League twice.”
Translation: he fits. Under Luis Enrique, that counts for as much as the technique.
€55m still hangs over him
The fee does not go away. €55m with add-ons for a 21-year-old winger whose entire senior career so far has been in the Netherlands. A few warm sentences in August do not settle that.
He walks into a dressing room that has lifted the Champions League twice, with the wide areas already spoken for. A glowing press conference is not a starting shirt. Sunday will tell us how many minutes the staff actually trust him with.
Discover the rest of the football news on our website and app mathodds!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply